The Bookworm and the Playboy
by ImNoCassandra
Summary: Makarov sends Loke on a journey with the guild's historian and combat specialist, Mirai. That was just the beginning.


Part One: Partners

I.

"You're going with him. That's final." Makarov folded his arms. Any other small person sitting cross legged on top of the bar of the guild house would look ridiculous. Not him. The old man glared at Mirai, the white wreath of hair around his head almost like fire in his annoyance. "I won't let you go alone."

"Fine but not him." Mirai cut her eyes at the young man standing nearby. She shook her head, sending dark curls flying. "I know his reputation!"

"What reputation would that be?" The young man was suddenly next to her, voice soft as silk. He looked over his blue lensed glasses at her, picture of innocence.

"A playboy." She sniffed. "Master, send me with anyone but this orange haired pervert."

"Hey!" he protested. "I am NOT a pervert!"

Makarov raised a hand. "It's done. Loke is a skilled fighter and wizard. You need a bodyguard."

"I most certainly do not," Mirai growled.

The old man raised an eyebrow. "I do not doubt that in the least. However, I cannot have you going alone. It's protocol." Mirai dropped it and stomped off.

The young man followed her. "Mirai, right?"

She turned to face him. "I know you. You're Loke. Hundreds of girls come through here looking for you. Everything female is in love with you."

He pushed up his glasses and ran a nervous hand through his close cropped orange hair. "Um, yeah." He shoved his hands in the pockets of his oversized green jacket. His smile was crooked. "It sounds awful when you put it like that."

Mirai was suddenly aware of what he saw. She was barefoot, wearing loose black shorts and a blue shirt with the guild symbol on it in gold. The tattoos on her arms and legs were visible and to her complete embarrassment, he knelt down and looked at her left foot. "Are those stars?"

"A constellation," she muttered. "Apus, the bird of paradise."

Loke sat back on his heels and traced it with a gentle finger. "It's beautiful. I wish I was brave enough to get one."

"What would you get? Your face on your arm?" It was out of her mouth before she could stop it.

He laughed, standing up. "This is going to be fun. I'm very glad I was picked to go with you."

She snickered. "Unconquered territory?"

"Conversation with a beautiful woman." He winked. "Tomorrow, Mirai."

"Later, playboy." She walked away, waving over her shoulder.

II.

Loke waited at the train station for her, hands in his pockets. Even in the crowd, he could find her easily. Mirai, long sleeved t-shirt and jeans, had a knapsack over her shoulder. That gorgeous hair was bound up by a scarf the color of the sky. He had to remind himself this was a job.

She smiled at him. "Hey, playboy. Ready?"

"Sure thing, beautiful." He offered his arm.

She stuck out her tongue. "You really think I'm going to fall for that?"

"Fall for what?" He feigned innocence as she laughed and dragged him behind her.

"This guy Rekishi has some books you need?" Loke stretched out on the seat across from Mirai. "Anything interesting going on?"

"Well…" she closed her book. "Lord Rekishi has an extensive library and he has plenty of interests."

He squinted at her. "That's not at all what I mean."

"Sorry, this place is pretty dull." She opened her book again.

"My companion makes up for it." He flashed a smile. "What is this book that's so important that you have to take a train and a bodyguard to get?"

She snapped her book closed with a sigh. "Do you ever shut up?"

"I have been known too. I can't help it, I like hearing your voice." He watched her melt for a moment then frown at him.

"I am not one of those skinny, big boobed bubble heads you always have around!" she reminded him.

"I know," he said gently. "That's why I'm enjoying this. Please. What is this book anyways?" He sat up, black thick soled shoes making a thud as they hit the floor. Hands shoved into his jacket, he winked. "I am all yours."

"Um, it's part of my research on celestial spirits." She looked out the window. "I've been talking to mages that work with them and collecting data. I'm curious about why they aid us in beating each other up. It doesn't make any sense. Where does their magic come from? Where do they go when they're not here?" She sighed. "I wish I could spend time with one, just talking. You can learn a lot about someone just by conversation."

"I agree." There was a pain in his eyes she had never seen before. "Maybe they're doing what they were created to do. Maybe that's all they know. I only know how to fight-"

She laughed. "That's not what I heard!"

His mood lightened and he smiled. "Shut up." He got serious. "Think about it. Predators only know to stalk and kill prey. Prey only knows how to hide. It's the natural order. Maybe that's how the celestial world works."

"You have an awful lot to say for someone who spends his time wearing rings and punching people."

Loke glanced out the window and winked at her. "I'm so glad we're here."

III.

It was dusk in Kuroyuri when they arrived. Already the streets were emptying, lamps lighting the dark.

"Is this guy known for his hospitality?" Loke asked Mirai.

"Not really."

"Let's go find us a place to stay then." He grinned. "We could share a room and you could test my skills…"

"Shut up."

A few blocks down was a hotel that advertised private access to a hot spring. Loke grabbed her arm. "I don't care how much it cost! This is it!"

She rolled her eyes and let him drag her.

"No way."

"I assure you I looked twice." The frazzled, over powdered man in red and gold lifted his hands to the sky. "I'm so sorry."

Mirai tapped her fingers on the desk. "There's one room."

"Y-yes, miss."

Loke sighed dramatically. "We'll just have to share, darling. I promise to keep my hands to myself until our wedding day, my love, my dear." He draped an arm over her shoulder. "Kiss me, you fool."

She glared at the desk clerk. "We'll take it."

"How romantic!" The clerk lit up, "I'll send up flowers and champagne, on the house of course!" He handed over the key with a flourish.

Mirai snaked her arm around Loke's waist and dug her nails into his side. He squeaked in surprise. "I will get you for this, sweet sugar honey buns. For now let's go to our room and stare into each other's eyes."

Dinner was in a forest. Fireflies lit the trees, flitted through the air and sometimes settled on guests. A wisp of a woman with long blonde hair flirted with Loke as she led them to their table. As they settled on the ground around the table, the woman offered menus. Mirai shook her head. "No thank you." She grinned at Loke. "Do you trust me?"

"Of course, wifey poo." He made doe eyes at her until she laughed.

"Lotus noodles and sake for two."

The woman nodded, shooting him a disappointed look as she left.

"Why did you do that?" Mirai demanded. "She seemed nice!"

"I'm here with you" was his only reply. He poked the glowing lotus in the bowl on the table. "Is this real?!"

"Yeah." Mirai touched the petals gently. "It only glows for a day when picked. Mirajane loves them."

He smiled as the woman brought the sake and poured a cup for each of them. "I do but for a different reason."

"Oh?" Mirai accepted her cup.

He watched fireflies swarm in the tree above them. "Because you're here. If you weren't here, I'd not be here."

She sipped from her cup. "Oooo… that's a good line."

"No line, just the truth." His eyes found hers, held them.

"Are we telling the truth, then? Is it my turn?" She held his gaze. "Well, did you know there are whole sonnets written about your kisses?"

"The hell you say." He blushed, breaking his gaze.

She rested her elbows on the table, chin in hands. "I just want to know… Is it true that your kisses make one forget their name? Would I taste forever?"

He folded his arms. "Want to find out?" His tone was brittle.

"Did I hit a nerve, sir?" she traced the rim of her cup with her forefinger.

He sighed, downing his cup in one swallow. "I just wish you had never heard those stupid stories. For once, I'd like to meet someone who didn't see me as the damned sex god those girls have blown me up to be."

She refilled his cup. "Well, I see you as a guy who is, so far, a good companion."

"Thanks." He smiled, relaxing and holding up his cup.

They toasted each other.

They were on their way back to the hotel when they noticed the men following them. "They really think we don't notice them." Mirai muttered, stepping closer to Loke.

"No, they know we see them." He clenched his fist. "They're trying to intimidate us. Get behind me."

"I can defend myself, playboy." She ran her fingers over his knuckles. "I am the guild's combat specialist, remember? Let's keep walking."

"Why not light our way?" He grinned and held up a hand.

A twist of a ring and the dim lit street was illuminated with a flash of light. Cries of pain marked their stalkers. "Either come out or go home!" she shouted. "I'm tired and my feet hurt!"

"I know you…" A man stepped from the shadows, lit by the faint street light. "You're Mirai, Fairy Tail's historian." He got closer to the light so she could see his scarred face. "I owe you for messin' up my face."

"I'd say you got off easy." She stepped out of her sandals. "Considering the woman you murdered never came home to her children."

"What do you know?" he sneered. "Hangin' around pretty boys? Think this one'll protect you?"

Mirai laughed. "Are you serious? He may need my help!"

The man just snarled. "I'd watch my back if I were you. I'll catch you one day without your pretty bodyguard."

The man and his gang drifted off, leaving Loke and Mirai in the street alone. Loke took her hand. "Let's hurry back."

Her face was grim. "Let them try again. I won't wait for them to attack next time."

IV.

The cave with the hot spring was empty except for her. Mirai slid into the steamy water with a deep sigh. She floated, letting the water cradle her. She tried to clear her mind but the incident in the street kept coming back. Her fingers remembered touching Loke's knuckles, an intimate gesture.

"Mirai."

Her eyes opened and he was there in a towel, squatting by the edge of the spring. "Hm?"

"Can I join you? Kinda lonely without you." He almost looked embarrassed.

"Awww, come on. You are so adorable," she teased. "Did you know you have a fan club?"

"Liar." He dropped his towel on the bench and stepped into the spring. He groaned. "This feels so damned good."

They soaked together in silence for a few moments. Mirai tried not to stare. He didn't look like someone combat trained. He was slender, graceful like a dancer. No bulging muscles or scars, just smooth skin and lean muscle.

She realized he was looking at her.

"Who was that?" he asked softly.

"Nazo. He's a drunk, claims to have been some important bastard at one point in time." She bit her lip. "He also followed a woman from a bar, dragged her into an alley and killed her. It was one of my first jobs. Elfman and I were sent to investigate.

"I put him through a plate glass window. Cut him up so bad they kept him in a coma for months while he healed." She turned her head.

Loke touched her arm. "Hey, you did your job."

"Yeah." She closed her eyes. "Word has it he's said he's going to carve his name in my face."

"You'll never let him." Loke assured her. "Especially not with Fairy Tail's Most Handsome Mage behind you."

She laughed and pushed him away, tension broken.

"Can I look at some of your tattoos?" he was almost bouncing.

"Sure."

He came closer. "I won't touch," he promised.

She could feel his breath on her skin. "The artist who did this really put themselves in it. Thank you for sharing them with me." He moved away but was still within reach. "It is so rare to see a beautiful woman who is comfortable in her body."

"Oh whatever." She rolled her eyes. "Another line?"

"Truth." Loke smiled. "Mirai, you are beautiful inside and out. Your breasts are stunning by the way."

"Shut up." She drew him close, "This doesn't mean there is anything between us, playboy."

"Please take advantage of me, gorgeous!" he whispered dramatically.

"I swear I'm going to drown you."

Loke watched her sleep, dark curls tangled around her face. Flowers, birds, stars, fairies and mermaids came together on her skin to create a tapestry almost as beautiful as the owner. She smiled in her sleep, curled closer to him with a contented sigh.

His heart melted. On instinct, he wrapped his arms around her and listened to her breathe. "I think I'm falling in love with you," he whispered.

Mirai woke up slowly. She was warm and safe. Loke's arms cradled her close, as if holding something precious.

He brushed curls from her face. "Hi, beautiful."

She smiled at him. "Hi, yourself." She touched his cheek. "Your eyes are copper, like a cat's. Such a gorgeous color, why hide them?"

"Sunlight hurts without them." He stuck out his tongue. "I'm more than happy to stay here with you all day if you'd like to enjoy them. For you, I would not even blink."

"Shut up." She dislodged herself and gave him a quick kiss. "I'm going to grab a shower."

"Need me to wash your back?" He grinned as she swung off the bed.

She laughed. "Tempting but no. Things to do and all."

"Then leave it on, I'll come in behind you."

"Okay."

He watched her walk away, hands remembering her skin and his body tingling with remembered touches. "Alright, I'm in love," he muttered and padded after her.

V.

"When you read about adventures, no one ever talks about the slogs through forests or deserts or over mountains." Mirai yawned. "It's usually a sentence or two but no one ever talks about how boring it is."

Loke nodded. "You're right." He glanced around the forest. "At least this looks innocent enough."

He stepped in front of her, causing her to stop. "I have to ask you something. It's obvious you're not a virgin-"

"The word 'slut' or anything like that come out of your mouth-" she warned.

"No, nothing like that. It's..," He fidgeted.

She folded her arms and tapped her foot. "Speak to me, please."

"If you ever wanted to, you know, with someone then I'd be willing to…" He rubbed the back of his head and blushed.

She dropped her arms and smiled. "You are adorable." She caught his face in her hands. "And yes, playboy. I would." She kissed him.

It was then the gang appeared. The murderer, Nazo, landed a punch on Loke's back but it never fazed him.

Loke turned, shoving her behind him. "Run," he muttered.

"Nope." Her voice was hard. "You get the little guys. I get him." She walked away from Loke, posture straight and hands open.

"I won't fight a girl!" roared Nazo.

"Good, make my job easier." Fairy Tail's historian grabbed Nazo's arm and flung him aside like a doll.

"Doesn't need me," Loke muttered and took out the four henchmen with several quick punches and kicks. "Amateurs." He grumbled.

He turned his attention away from the unconscious bodies to watch Nazo and Mirai.

She had broken the man's arm, the bone sticking through the skin, and had him on the ground in an arm lock. "Leave me alone!" she screamed. "You're the one who killed that woman! Not me!"

"All of you women!" he howled. "All of you must know your place!"

"Really?! My place is in Fairy Tail as historian and combat trainer. Let me demonstrate." She broke his other arm. He passed out from the pain. "Where's your place?"

Loke shook his head. "I'm going to start requesting you for a bodyguard from now on."

"Sounds good." She took his arm to hide her shaking hands and continued walking. "Let's talk about the benefit package…"

"Yeah, I feed you…"

"This job sucks already."

The trip back had a completely different atmosphere. A stack of books dominated the seat beside Mirai but her attention was focused on Loke across from her. "I didn't know you like to read."

He nodded. "Nothing heavy like you read. Poetry, fiction, stuff like that."

"No romance?" she teased.

"Ew." He shuddered. "It's always the same. Strong woman comes along, meets stubborn yet handsome man. Hate at first sight. Both change to become perfect people after they fall in love. Yuck."

"I think a part of what makes people interesting are their quirks." She winked. "Like you. You're a stack of quirks."

"Says the Queen of Quirks." He grinned. "There _is_ that tattoo on your butt-"

"Hey!" She shouted in mock protest. "That, sir, is slander!"

"It's only slander if it's not true, your highness."

She gave him a crooked smile that tugged at his heart. "You win this round, playboy."

He chuckled. "I'm glad I got to spend time with you."

"Me too, Loke." She took his hand in both of hers and squeezed once before letting go.

"If you ever need a partner for a job-"

"Same here."

Loke and Mirai stood a breath apart in the guild hall. Their eyes were locked, nether wanted to look away. "I'll put your books in the library."  
"Thanks, playboy. Think you can behave with me alone?"  
"I'll put the charm on zero." He winked.  
They left the hall together, still going back and forth. Mirajane sighed and smiled. "I never thought I'd see it."  
"See what?" asked Lucy.  
Mirajane blushed. "Loke in love."

VI.

Weeks passed. Mirai had a flower bearing Loke at her door at least once a week, taking her off for some sort of adventure. If she was alone at a table at the guildhall, a Loke appeared

unless he was surrounded by giggling girlfriends. In that case Mirai would stick out her tongue at him, they would smile at each other and she would open her book.

One night, three of his girlfriends were arguing over him. He looked completely exasperated, head back and eyes closed. "It's MY night!" "No, it's MINE!" "Well, when is MINE!"

Mirai closed her book. She slipped behind Loke and put her hand on his shoulder. "Ladies," she said gently. "There is a solution. All three of you go out with him tonight at once."

"Who are YOU, old hag?" "Yeah, stay out of this!" "What do you know anyways?"

Loke sat up and Mirai could feel the quiet rage in his voice. "No one disrespects my Mirai. No one. Not even any of you. Good night."

They left in tears, throwing apologies over their shoulders. He never spoke to them. "No one disrespects you. Not in front of me."

She pulled a chair next to him and grinned. "Your Mirai? Do I get a collar and a tag?"

"No, but you get me." He looked down at his hands. "I love you. I have ever since that job."

Her grin slipped into a smile. "That's funny because there was something I wanted to say to you. I was hoping for more romantic of a situation but… I love you too. I adore the goofy Loke behind the ultra sexy charming one." She shrugged. "Both are kinda cute-"

"Shut up."

He pulled her in for a kiss.

Part Two: Family

I.

Loke was in the guildhall holding court with a handful of his girlfriends when Mirai walked over. He frowned. "Okay, what's up?"

She elbowed her way to the chair across the table from him. "I need your help."

He smiled, turning the charm on. "Of course! Anything for you."

"It's a private matter. Special assignment from the master." She glanced at the younger woman with the folded arms standing beside her. "Just come find me later." She stood up, maintaining eye contact with the younger woman. "Was this your seat? Oh, here."

With a final glance at him, Mirai disappeared into the busy hall.

Mirai was gathering her things when Loke knocked on her door. She let him in then continued to put things in her pack. "Tired of your groupies?"

"I didn't know any better, I'd say you were jealous." He sprawled out on her bed.

She frowned. "I needed you. But you wouldn't leave them." She waved a hand. "Doesn't matter anyways.

"Makarov says a friend of his, a guild wizard, has an elderly father who had a tendency to wander. He's also senile and the best part is he's a wizard. He's gone missing."

Loke rubbed his forehead. "Why do you need me?"

"Because I don't use magic." Mirai tied the pack closed. "I need a wizard."

"Why did he ask you?"

She laughed. "I don't break things when I take jobs. This is a delicate matter. You going to help me or what?"

"Of course I'm in. When do we leave?"

She threw the pack on her shoulder. "Now."

Sorcha was waiting for them at the door of the modest mansion next to a vineyard. "She looks like a fairy!" Loke whispered. Mirai elbowed him.

The lady of the house's thin dress was tugged by a breeze that also rearranged the silver strands that went rogue from her braid. Green eyes sparkled. "You must be Mirai and Loke!" Her voice betrayed her worry and fatigue.

"Yes, Lady Sorcha." Mirai bowed. "Master Makarov sent us to help you."

Her lips trembled. "He always looked out for me. Please, come in."

"Your home is beautiful…" Mirai breathed. The floors were cream tiles, paintings on the walls showed the vineyard and family portraits. A chandelier created to look like bubbles completed the foyer.

"Thank you." Sorcha inclined her head. "Come, I thought you might care for some tea after your journey."

"That would be perfect, my lady. Thank you." Mirai smiled.

Sorcha stopped abruptly, turned and faced Loke with her hands on her hips. She glared at him. "And you, boy, have you forgotten how to talk?"

He held up his hands and gave his famous smile. "My companion is so much better at this than I am."

Sorcha grinned, laughing. "Oh, I wish I could have met you when I was younger!" She took Mirai's arm and continued to lead them into the house. "You, my dear, _must_ give me details!"

"Details?!" She tried to keep her composure.

"I can." Loke took her other arm. "Lady Sorcha, let me tell you about the tattoo on her butt-"

"HEY!"

The playfulness was gone once Sorcha had a teacup in hand. She fidgeted, rolling the cup between her palms. "My uncle, Marsellus, is elderly. In his day he was a brilliant wizard responsible for several magic theories currently in use." She paused and smiled at Mirai. "Before his mind faded, he read your paper and loved it. He said you are a wizard to be watched." She closed her eyes. "He likes to wander. In his mind, he's still young and still researching in his lab in the woods. Sometimes I can find him and bring him home." She fought back tears. "I haven't been able to find him in three days. I'm worried but I don't want anyone to know.

"Everyone thinks he's just in seclusion."

Mirai put down her teacup. "We will bring him home. What type of magic does he do?"

Sorcha laughed, both pride and fear in her voice. "All of it."

Sorcha showed them to their rooms and retired to her own. Mirai was staring out the window when her view was blocked by an orange haired intruder. Loke landed in a ninja-like roll then turned it into a sultry pose. "Hi, there."

"Hi." She got up from her chair, borrowed silk gown fluttering as she moved across the room.

"Mirai…" He stood up. "I'm really sorry. I was an ass."

"Yes you were." She sat on the bed, arms folded.

"Can I sit down?" He gestured to the bed.

"The chair's empty."

"Touche'."

She let her arms drop. "I thought I could count on you. I know you never take the word girlfriend seriously which is why I never wanted that title. I guess… I thought I was special." Her eyes were shiny with tears. "I thought I meant something to you. I never realized I was just convenient." She wiped her eyes. "Get out."

"Let me explain." His voice was soft, gentle.

"No." Her own cracked with unshed tears.

"Beautiful, please-"

"Don't ever call me that!" She snapped. "Get out. Now. Before I throw you out the window."

He was on the ledge when he heard the sobbing.

II.

"I don't understand why you have the map," Loke mumbled.

"Because you can sense magical energy and I can read maps." Mirai reminded him.

They walked down the path in silence. The trees rustled and some birds squabble over territory nearby. "About last night," he began.

"We're working, asshole." She never looked up from the map. "Sorcha says the lab is somewhere around here." She tucked the map into her back pocket.

"Think that's it?"

There was a clearing with a circular red building with a brown thatched roof. The windows were frosted, either by dirt or design was unclear. The door was the same red as the building with no doorknob. Nothing moved around it.

"Good observation, playboy."

"Guess I deserve that nickname," he muttered.

"You've earned it, sugar."

They got closer to the building. "How do we get in?" Mirai wondered out loud. "Think there was a pass phrase or item?"

"Maybe you just touch it?"

"NO!"

A doe leapt from the woods, placing herself between them and the building. "Go no further! Marcellus trapped it!"

Loke blinked. "A talking deer? Maybe I shouldn't have had the coffee."

Mirai ignored him. "Who are you? Can you help us?"

The doe bobbed her head. "I'm a forest spirit and I don't know. There's a fairy ring nearby that has been protected for centuries and Marcellus' family has aided us in keeping it safe from harm.

"I wish I could help you but I have no power. Marcellus is held by Mother Winter who wants control over the court from the Queen." The doe bobbed her head. "I can show you on the map where to go but that is all I can do."

"That is plenty, thank you."

Loke watched the path while Mirai and the doe discussed the map. She gave the doe a pat and watched her disappear into the woods.

"Fairies…" his face was a mixture of dread and curiosity. "I've only read the stories. I'd like to meet a real one but the stories never end well."

"It's probably a spell done by an old man who got trapped in it." Mirai shook her head. "At least we know where to go."

"I still think there's fairies."

"More walking," Loke grumbled. "Does this ever end?"

Mirai slipped her hand in his. "It's sunset already. We've only been walking a few hours."

He nodded, drew her closer and kept an eye on the darkening woods around them.

The sky went from twilight purple to the velvet black of night. The stars lit the sky, the moon edged over the horizon. Creatures scurried in the underbrush and the path went from well defined to overgrown. A faint blue light appeared off in the thicker part of the forest. Giggling echoed from all directions. "Crap," Loke tightened his grip on Mirai. "Whatever you do, eat and drink nothing. Be careful of what you say."

"This sounds like a job for someone with charm to spare." She nudged him. "How many can say they flirted with faires?"

He said nothing, just led her into the woods.

Mirai tried to see through the fog. She couldn't see or touch anything, even the ground. "LOKE!" She walked on the fog like it was solid, tested it for a few steps then ran. Nothing but swirling fog.

"MIRAI!"

"LOKE?"

After what felt like an eternity, Loke was there with worry and relief on his face. He scooped her into a tight hug. "Oh, sweetheart, I thought I had lost you forever."

She squeezed him back. "I'm glad to see you. Where are we?"

"Not sure." He didn't let her go. "All I could think of when we were separated was that you were gone and I never got to tell you how much I care about you." He wrinkled his nose. "Wait, I thought that and it came out of my mouth."

"Interesting." She frowned. "I'll try to keep my thoughts kind of even so you don't know how you've taken off with my heart." She closed her eyes. "We've GOT to get out of this damned fog. Last thing I want to do is sit around and talk about what's on our minds all day."

"Agreed." He bit his lip but the words came out anyway. "Although I would like to stay here, kiss you and get you naked. I'm, uh-"

"Stop." She kissed his cheek and rolled her eyes. "Damnit. I'd enjoy that too but we need to go. Been dreaming about your hands in my hair."

"Later?" he tried keep his mouth closed.

She gave up trying. "Yes but I am still upset and hurt. Like I said before, we need to go."

The fog faded, the path carpeted with clover. Loke sighed. "That was brutal. It could have been much worse."

Mirai shuddered. "At least we don't hate each other or something awful." She reached for the vines covered in flowers that dripped from the trees.

"Don't," he whispered. "I think we're in the fairy ring. You pick the flowers and they will bargain for your first born child."

"That'll be interesting as I never plan on having any." She dropped her hand and grinned. "Maybe they'd want me to give up you."

"I'd make a lousy fairy." He held her hand, finger on a ring. She kept scanning the area for any movement.

The flower covered trees eventually gave way to a clearing. There was a circle of stones in the center, right in front of a throne made of woven vines and flowers. Blue balls of light flickered in and out of clearing, giving the moonlight a soft tint. The sounds of soft chimes drifted through the air.

A woman's voice, commanding yet gentle, spoke to them on the wind. "Child of the stars and child of the flowers, be welcome."

Loke tightened his grip on her hand. Mirai kissed him on the cheek. "Let's go." Together they entered the clearing.

The Summer Queen of the Seelie Court sat on the throne, her blond hair woven into a crown that was decorated with flowers. Her gown looked like liquid moonlight, her ripe form visible underneath. The court were fairies of all shapes and sizes, from small pixies to men and women with wings. All were different shades of color.

"They're beautiful," Mirai whispered.

"They're dangerous," Loke reminded her. "Stay with me."

They stepped into the stone circle as directed.

The Queen smiled. "Mmmm… child of the stars… I've never tasted one of your kind before…"

"We're bland," Loke shrugged. "All of us need salt."

She turned her attention to Mirai. "Child of the flowers… you smell of lotus… do you taste like it too?"

MIrai pretended to consider the question. "Nope, I'd say I'm more of a thistle."

She chuckled. "Such wit. What brings two brave lovers into my woods?"

"We're looking for a wizard, Marcellus." Loke was all business. "Have you or your court seen him, your highness?"

The Queen shrugged. "I am afraid not, child. Why not stay, join us for our revelry this night?"

"The invitation is indeed gracious but we must be on our way, your highness." He inclined his head. "By your leave, we must go."

"I think not." She raised her hand. Vines snaked out for their feet.

Loke nodded to Mirai and they both jumped high above the clearing. He used a blade of air to slice the oncoming vines which gave them enough time to dive for the trees.

Once free of the clearing they ran beyond the chimes.

"What did she mean, child of the stars?" Mirai asked. They had stopped in a glade to catch their breath.

Loke kissed the head on his shoulder and pulled away so they were face to face. "Mirai… I'm a celestial spirit. I'm really Leo the Lion."

"Bullshit!" she laughed. "Spirits can't last here because it causes too much pain. Not to mention the drain on their magic."

"I'm strong," he said softly.

"How long?" The laugh faded.

"Three years."

"Why?" She shook her head. "I mean, you could leave any time, why stay here in the dirt with us humans?" Realization hit her. "But what does that mean…"

"I broke a rule and was exiled," he explained. "As for you and me." He reached for her. "I love you."

"How can you?" she snapped. "How? You're a star! Pretending to be a human! What do you know of love?"

His eyes caught her. "I know," he said softly, "that my own existence has been made so much brighter by one Mirai. She keeps me going when the pain makes me want to hide. Beautiful, please. Of every woman, celestial and terrestrial, there is only one I have ever lost my heart to.

"Keep it, it's yours. But know you have it."

Mirai tackled him to the ground in an embrace. "I love you too, star. You have mine. But this conversation is not over. I'm upset and have questions but we have an old man to find."

They hadn't gone far when a rabbit bounded into the path. "Hi." It sat on it hind legs, waving it's ears.

"Um, hi?" Loke squinted. "A rabbit?"

Mirai got on her knees. "Hi, who are you?"

"I'm Berry." It's nose twitched. "Word is you are looking for Marcellus."

"Yeah, can you tell us how to find him?"

Berry rubbed an ear with a paw. "Well… the nymphs are putting him in a tree. The Summer Queen gave him to Mother Winter in exchange for her leaving this domain in peace."

"How do you know all this?" Loke asked.

"I'm a knight," the rabbit said proudly.

Loke started to say something until Mirai glared at him. "Can you take us to the tree?" she asked.

"Of course." Berry bobbed his head. "Anything for a fair maiden."

Loke snorted.

Creatures with long hair placed bark on the old man tucked inside a tree. Loke and Mirai watched from a safe distance. "How do we get him out of this?" she muttered.

"I'll distract them." Loke stripped down to his skin.

Berry covered his eyes. "How is that going to work?!"

"You'll see." He grinned. "Just move when you hear the signal."

"Laughter?" Mirai suggested.

He touched her face. "Be careful."

She punched him in the stomach playfully. "I'm not naked."

He winked and walked out of the bushes. The creatures became beautiful women and flounced over to coo and flatter him. They drew him away from the tree and out of sight. "REGULAS!" A flash of light equal to the sun sent them away, howling and running.

Mirai carried Berry to the tree. "Master Marcellus?"

The old man opened one water blue eye. "Eh? You're not one of them… who are you?"

"Your niece sent us."

He closed his eye. "Help me get free. This just peels off. It hasn't hardened yet."

Mirai put down Berry and started tearing off the bark, Marcellus did what he could when his hands were free. His hair was thick, white as Makarov's but he seemed older and more tired than their master. Loke, dressed, arrived and helped him step out of the tree.

"I really should not meddle in the affairs of fairies," he sighed. "Since Sorcha is half fairy, her mother has insisted on her daughter claiming her birthright.

Loke's jaw hung open in disbelief. Mirai elbowed him. "Let's get you home."

"But you said you liked us!" pouted a high pitched voice.

"Great," muttered Loke. "Back so soon?" he said louder.

"Stupid human, do you think your stupid light would keep us away?"

Mirai put her back to the tree, posture defensive. The women that Loke had distracted were back, pretty faces twisted with rage. The one speaking had sharp, pointed teeth. "The Queen has decreed a reward for any who bring your head before the court."

Loke dropped his head, pushed up his glasses and gave them his trademark smile. "Come get it, hags."

They screeched, lunged at them and clawed at their clothes. Mirai's hands went through them. Loke's magic blasts seemed to have no effect. Berry hopped valiantly until Mirai tasked him with guarding Marcellus.

Mirai jumped to avoid an ankle grab and landed a kick against a head. The fairy hissed in pain. "The head!" she called.

"I'm not connecting!" Loke shouted, going down on one knee after two swirled around him.

"You're also not human!" Mirai reminded him. "Crap!"

She shoved him behind her. "Playboy, let me protect you."

Loke moved out of the way and took up a defensive position.

Mirai moved to the middle of the fairies. Hands open, palm up, she walked in a circle. Every attack was deflected, pushed aside or flipped over her shoulder. "I don't want to hurt you!"

"We want to hurt you!" one snickered. "Come on, human! You're nothing but this star's plaything! Give him up!"

"No."

"Too bad," one shrugged. They reached for her with scrabbling hands and long claws.

Mirai waited quietly until the last minute then slid underneath them, standing up behind them. "Loke! Now!"

A cyclone blew them into the trees.

He fell into her arms. "You are amazing!"

"Flatter me later! Let's go!"

III.

Sorcha hugged Marcellus tightly and cried. "Uncle! It's so good to see you! I thought you were gone!"

"I have so much to tell you," he said, hugging her.

"He wasn't going senile," Mirai explained. "It was a fairy spell. He's been restored." She gave Sorcha Berry. "And here's your knight protector. Trust him." Sorcha looked confused but snuggled the bunny.

Marcellus hugged Mirai and Loke. "Thank you both. I know you're both exhausted and can barely stand. We should get some sleep. Tomorrow I will explain everything and see you to the train personally."

"Thank you, sir." Loke bowed.

"Good night, son." Marcellus gripped his arm before leaning on Sorcha and limping away with her chattering in his ear.

Mirai offered her hand. "Are you up to talking?"

"To you, always."

She led him to the sitting room and curled in a chair. Loke perched in a chair opposite her, worry on his face. "Please, talk to me."

"For starters, I'm sorry I got upset about at the guild." Mirai fidgeted. "You didn't know how I felt about things like that and I shouldn't have expected you to jump because I said so."

He shook his head. "No, honey. I was showing off for the other girls. I should've listened to you. It'll never happen again."

She nodded. "I'll be more clear next time."

"Deal." He smiled. "That was easy."

"This part isn't." Tears filled her eyes. "You're a star. You're not human. You lied to me. Why?"

He knelt at her feet, head bowed. "Would you have believed me? Seriously. Or would you have thought I was crazy?

"I am human. In this form, I look and feel as you do." He touched her calf. "Beautiful, even stars feel. And I mean it when I say no one, in the sky or walking this earth, has ever captured me like you have. No one has ever made me wake up and actually look forward to the day.

"It hurts to be here." His voice trembled. "There's no pain with you. Being with you has given me so much joy."

He looked up. She was crying. "But what do stars know of love and hearts and humans? You live forever! I will be dust and Leo the Lion will still stand. Eventually I will be forgotten."

"I know," he whispered, "that I love you, Mirai, with every bit of this heart in this body. My spirit needs you because without you there is no peace. Sweetheart, you have carved your name into my eternal self. I'd die before I forgot you."

"You're a star…" she kept sobbing into her arms. "You're just… just… and you're not even human…"

"Because no one else would have been good enough for you, beautiful," he whispered. "Only a fallen star would do for someone as perfect as you."

"I'm not perfect." The sobs were harder. "No human is, don't you see? We're all flawed creatures. You're wrong, I'm not this wonderful person you think I am."

"Hey." He moved to kneel in front of her, hands on her legs and removed his glasses. "Mirai, look at me. Please."

She lifted her head, only wet dark eyes visible.

"You see me as I am. You're the only one." He wiped away a tear. "I always knew. Humans see my eyes as hazel. To you and other spirits, they're copper. To me, that makes you perfect. I can be me, as I am, with no pretending to be anything I'm not. And in you, I see this bright spirit that draws me closer and won't let go.

"Beautiful. Let me love you."

She sniffled and held his hand, tears still falling. "I love you, star. Always. I would find the most unobtainable male in the universe."

He brushed his lips against her forehead and lifted her into his arms. "Child of flowers, may I bring you to your bed?"

She clung to him. "You're a dork."

"And you're gorgeous."

When Loke woke up, the sun was too high to be morning. Mirai slept peacefully beside him, smiling and occasionally sighing. A pot of hot tea had been placed on a stand beside the bed, along with two towels and a basin of hot water.

He rolled over and kissed her forehead. "Hey, beautiful. Sun's up and we're not."

"Tell the damned thing to go back to bed," she grumbled.

"Don't you want to know what's going on here?" he reminded her.

Without opening her eyes she rolled away from him and curled into a ball. "You go. Take notes."

He stroked her hair and back. "Love, there's tea."

She rolled over, eyes wet. "Please don't leave me."

"What?" He cupped her face in his hand. "Never. What made you say that?"

"Don't worry about it." She wiped her face. "Let's go downstairs."

Marcellus and Sorcha were waiting in the sunroom for them. They had a table laden down with food. Berry nibbled from a plate piled high and managed a wave. "We make our own jam," she said proudly, "please give this is Uncle Makarov."

"I will." Mirai smiled and accepted the jar.

Marcellus nodded. "I'll tell my tale while your mouths are full. Fewer interruptions," he winked.

"I met Sorcha's mother on night during a revelry in the woods. At the time, my wife was still alive and our son was young.

"I…" he looked uncomfortable. "I had not learned much about the fairy kingdom. I know much more now. Months later, Sorcha's mother, who is now the Mother of Winter, left our child in my bedroom. The bassinet was truly magical but it still scared my wife.

"We raised Sorcha as our niece, never told her of her fairy family. Mother Winter would try to come and visit her child but I would deny her. In the end, she put a spell on me to make me feeble minded in hopes I would die in an accident and she could come collect her daughter.

"I see now that I was wrong. Mother Winter deserves to see Sorcha." He sighed. "It took watching two young people risk their lives to save my own selfish one to make me realize it.

"Loke, Mirai. Consider yourselves family on both sides. The fairies grant you safe passage. None will harm you. Please come visit us." He winked. "The vineyard's a great place for a wedding!"

Loke nearly spit across the table.

Makarov laughed at the end of the story. "So Marcellus is well?"

"Yes, master." Mirai handed him a jar of green jam. "With love from Sorcha."

He smiled. "You two can split the jewels. You've earned it."

"One other item of interest." Mirai pulled a small leather case from her bag. Inside was a paper fan with a pale pink lotus painted on it. A simple red tassel hung from the handle. "This was a gift to me from Marcellus. As near as he can guess, he made while he was having an episode. He calls it the Fan of the Seelie Court."

"What does it do?" Makarov made no move to touch it.

"Unsure, master." Mirai grinned. "I was asked to report back if it did anything of note."

Makarov nodded. "Very well. I've been impressed with the two of you. I'm thinking of sending you with different teams-"

"Master," Loke spoke up. "I would like to stay with her."

"I'd like to stay with him." Mirai added quickly.

"Oh?" Makarov raised an eyebrow. "What did you call each other? The bookworm and the playboy?"

They both sputtered and tried to formulate an explanation. Makarov laughed. "Fine! Glad everything worked out! And I'm not sharing my jelly!"

Part Three: Lost and Found

I.

The only thing he could remember was the pain.

Sometimes it was easy to forget it. Sometimes it could be set aside and moved past. There were highs, times when the sun shone bright and laughter rang so loud it hurt his ears. When the sun set and laughter died, he was alone.

He sat by the window of his apartment, watching the stars as he did when the darkness tried to eat him. As most nights, someone stirred in his bed. He smiled at her. "Mirai, did I wake you?"

"Nope." She yawned and ran her fingers through her dark curls. Tattoos covered her body, one of the many reasons he brought her here. She crawled over to the edge of the bed and lay back, her eyes meeting his without a smile. "You smile an awful lot, Loke, but it never touches your eyes."

He shrugged. "I never noticed."

"Yes you have." She nudged him with her foot. "Between that and hiding who you are it makes you kinda sexy."

He blushed. "Really? The sad puppy eyes and mysterious guy is what did it for you?"

"No. I liked the sweet guy who thought he was protecting me." She stuck out her tongue. "Don't tell me you fell for the tattooed cleavage and long hair?"

"No." He crawled onto the bed to curl next to her. "I liked the woman who actually knew what the hell I was talking about. Tattoos were a bonus."

She held his face in her hands. "Did I tell you what magic I do?"

"No," he looked puzzled. "You never did. I didn't even know you could do magic."

She closed her eyes. "My mother was a fortune teller. That was how our family survived. She had a deck of cards and used those to hide that she knew just by touching them she could see their future.

"One day, she saw something that hurt her so bad she hung herself. That was the day my father took me to the monks. He couldn't bear to have me around.

"I have her gift." Mirai stroked his face, tears falling from her eyes. "I see you with a beautiful woman."

"I'm with one now," he teased.

"Shut up," she said gently. "She'll be the one who discovers your secret. She's the one who will capture your heart."

"What about you?" he kissed her neck.

"I would like to capture you here and now for as long as you will let me." Tears continued to pour down her face.

"Consider yourself caught," he whispered.

Loke sat cross legged on the table while Mirai sorted books into piles. Her loose pants and shirt rippled with her movements. He made a game of trying to catch curls that came near. "You have no objection to me having other girlfriends?" he disbelief made him miss a curl.

"Why?" she paused in her work to look at him. "I know you love me. You know I love you. What else do we need? Neither of us want to get married. Kids are out of the question." She grinned. "I consider sharing you with the female population a public service, playboy."

"What about you?" he asked. "Do you have lots of boyfriends?"

She shook her head. "No. Would it bother you if I did?"

"No," he said softly. "Because I know you would never hurt me." He grinned. "Do you?"

"Have boyfriends? No."

"Girlfriends?" He caught a curl, kissed it and let it go.

"I have had one but not now."

"Can I get details?" He slid closer.

"No, nosey."

"Leave out names…" he laid on his back and pretended to die. "I'm fading away from suspense…"

She laughed and put books on his stomach. "J shelf in Magic Theory."

"Yes, my love, my dear, my sweet lamb, my honey-"

"I'm going to hire you so I can fire you!"

Makarov and Mirajane watched from a distance. "I've never seem either so happy," Mirajane said. "I would have never put them together."

"She could do better," Makarov grumbled but smiled.

II.

Mirai returned to the city after a summer spent training with her masters in the monastery to find it in rubble. The guild hall was destroyed. Loke had left the guild, disappeared without a trace. The whole city's mood was crushed flat.

She set up her bedroll in the women's tent. Mirajane touched her shoulder, sadness in her eyes. "He left this with me and said to give this to you." She gave Mirai an envelope.

Mirai located a quiet spot and opened the envelope. The familiar handwriting made her soul ache.

 _My heart,_

 _I have to go. I don't know if I will be back but know that I will always hold you close to me. No one has ever made me feel more alive than you._

 _I love you with everything I have and it hurts me to have to leave you. You carry my heart with you. No one else can match my Mirai._

 _Stay perfect, beautiful_

She cried, feeling as though part of her had been ripped away. "You'll be back," she whispered.

III.

Time passed as bit faster for him than the others. It stopped the day he saw Mirai sitting in the rebuilt Fairy Tail guild hall. The high wood ceilings were hung with banners and the scarred tables and benches were almost empty. The windows let in the afternoon sun.

He adjusted his tie and smoothed his suit before he walked over but froze in mid stride when her dark eyes found his copper ones.

Her smile was a mix of sad and happy. "Looks like you found yourself, Loke… Or is it Leo?"

"May I?" he gestured to a nearby bench.

She nodded. "Sure. I'm still trying to figure out how I managed to get the King of the Beasts naked."

He blushed. "Shut up."

She tugged at his coppery spiky hair. "Better question is how to do it again? I'm liking the longer hair."

He pushed up his blue lensed glasses. "I, uh, um-"

"So since you've gone back, you're at full strength, right?" Mirai leaned forward, chin in hand. "So I was wondering if anything had changed, really… for science, of course."

Loke started to sweat. "Uh-"

She laughed. "I'm teasing you!" She tapped the cover of the book she was reading. "I noticed you had this one on your bookshelf and got it from the guild library. Pretty good. I alway thought poetry was boring."

He stammered.

She took his hand. "Hey, I wanted to talk. I miss you. There was no one else who liked reading and had a penis. Seriously. I don't want anything except you." She smiled. "And your eyes are happy now. I like it."

He collected himself. "So even without the sad puppy eyes and mysterious secret you still want me around?"

She laughed. "You have a whole damned harem and are sitting here trying to figure out if I want you?" She squeezed his hand. "Of course I do."

He took one of her curls in his fingers. "Your prediction was wrong. The one who found out I'm a star doesn't have my heart." He kissed it then her cheek. "You do, sweet one. Let me show you how much I've missed you."

"Please." Her smiled was crooked. "My calendar is clear for the next few days."

He stood up, kissed her hand and winked. "Good." He waved and ran to catch up with the group gathering in the courtyard.

She sighed and opened her book, figuring the smile would not ever go away.

Mirai was climbing a ladder with an armload of books when Lucy appeared out of nowhere. "Hi!"

"Let me put this up…" she grunted. Mirai pushed aside several leather bound books to make room for her to place the ones she held in her arms. Done, she slid down the ladder, air causing her loose pants to snap. She gave the girl a smile. "What brings you up here?"

"Uh…" The younger blonde girl looked uncomfortable.

"Thanks for saving Loke, by the way." Mirai smiled. "I knew he was a celestial spirit but he hid that he was dying from me." She paused, fighting tears. "I couldn't have stopped it anyways. I'm just grateful you were able to bring him back. I can't tell you what it means to me…" her voice cracked.

"Um…" Lucy tried to find the words and shifted from one foot to the other. "He says he's in love with me."

Mirai laughed through her tears. "Have you not met that man? I'm sure he is!" she wiped her eyes and chuckled. "I don't own him. He comes and goes as he pleases. Like a cat."

"But-"

Mirai held up a hand. "Lions have more than one mate, you know. I am not the first and will not be the last."

She started to turn around but stopped. "Loke is his own person. He always has been.I don't make his decisions for him and I certainly don't tell him what to do. You hold his key, he's bound to do what you say but you don't own him. You can't tell him what to do with his own heart. You're a Celestial wizard, you should know this.

And if he does love you, cherish that." Lucy nodded and left without a word. Mirai found a dark corner of the library and cried..

"You came back to me…"

"You don't have to do this, you know." Mirai buried her face in Loke's shoulder.

"You don't either." He wrapped his arms around her and buried his face in her hair. "One of my favorite things is listening to you fall asleep in my arms. It's nice to be wanted." He pulled the sheet over them. "There are times when my body hurts all over but my soul wants you."

"Mmmmm…" she snuggled close. "I saw Lucy today. She's fretting because you told her you loved her and apparently she thinks that means you can't love me also."

"She's young," he said into her hair. "She says her mom had a theory that all magic came from love. Stronger the love, the more powerful the magic."

"Then with you, I'm the most powerful seer in the world." Mirai bit his shoulder.

"Biting a combat spirit is never a good idea," he teased.

She giggled and he pulled her closer.

Part Four: Beginner

I.

Mirai, crouched down in a defensive posture with a bo staff at the ready, faced off against an opponent twice her size in mass and height. Sweat plastered his white hair to his head and made his muscular torso shiny. His pants were torn in several places.

In contrast, she looked as if she wasn't even breathing hard compared to his labored breath. Her loose shorts and shirt, worn from use, were both dry and spotless.

Her opponent roared and charged at her, fist raised.

She lept in the air, one foot pushing off the back of his head and causing him to stumble. She landed without raised much dust then swept him off his feet using the staff. He got up and threw a wild punch. Without flinching, she grabbed his wrist and threw him to the side.

The young ones seated around the clearing applauded.

"Stop." She dropped the staff. "One day, you will be the one being thrown down. You will get the hit. How will you take it? That is the measure of your training. Not how well you hit but how well do you take a hit. Any idiot with a fist can hit but are you strong enough to take a hit."

Her opponent dusted himself off and walked to the edge of the clearing. "Elfman," she called. "Hit me."

"Huh?" He paused. "That's not very manly."

She narrowed her eyes. "A real man would do what a lady asks."

He swallowed hard and started walking toward her.

"When I was a novice, part of my training was taking a hit. There were no pads. There were no healers. Your bones broke, they healed. You bled. You got scars." She faced Elfman. "Hit me."

"Where?" he looked nervous.

"Face."

He closed his eyes and punched.

Mirai fell backwards. She waved away Elfman's hand and stood on her own. Her cheekbone was shattered, eye swelling already. Her nose was misshapen and bleeding. "This will heal. You only have one life. Protect it. Not your good looks. Class dismissed."

She waited until the young ones were gone before laughing. "Shit, Elfman! That hurt!"

"I'm sorry!" he sputtered. "I gave it my all! I missed your jaw!"

"ELFMAN!" Loke jumped from the tree, fist raised.

Mirai stepped in front of Elfman and effortlessly tossed the Celestial spirit to the ground. "I asked him to hit me, star. I'm going to see Wendy when I get inside."

He adjusted his suit and glared at Elfman. "Right. Came to see if you were busy this evening and didn't want anyone thinking I beat you."

She laughed so hard she winced. "Playboy, no one would believe that."

Wendy sat on the bar, looking for all the world like a black ponytailed version of Makarov except she was holding Mirai's face in her hands. "Why did you ask him to hit you again?" Charle asked, the cat's white tail twitching as she watched Wendy work.

"To make a point," Mirai muttered. "Warriors can take hits."

"You should take less," advised Wendy.

"You are wise beyond your years," Loke drained his glass and waved away Mirajane's offer for a refill. "Would you and Charle come to dinner with us?"

"Miss Mirai?" Wendy asked.

"Fine with me." She sighed as Wendy finished. "Thank you. Dinner's the least I can do."

"Something came for you, Mirai." Mirajane put a box down next to Wendy. "I forgot to give it to you earlier."

All four of them stared at it. It was wooden, carved with a lotus on top. There was no lock, no latch. Mirai touched it and the top swung open. Inside a single pale pink lotus on a single piece of blank parchment.

With shaking hands, Mirai slipped the parchment out of the box and blew on it. Letters appeared. She read it and gasped. "Forget dinner. Would you all join me as honored guests?

"I'm testing for mastery."

Makarov was nearly dancing with excitement. "You don't say! Mirai, this is wonderful!"

"As per tradition, the ones nearest my heart when I received my invitation have the opportunity to come as my guests." She tugged on one of Wendy's long ponytails. "So may I bring Wendy and Charle with me?"

"I think it would be a great learning experience," he nodded. "Taking a wizard with support magic is very wise."

"She supports without magic," Mirai winked at the girl. "Thank you, master. We'll send word when we arrive."

Loke was waiting for them at the train station in human form. Wendy tackled him, Charle giving the girl an indulgent smile and flying down to Mirai's shoulder. "Would you carry me, please?"

"Of course." Mirai opened her arms to let the cat land.

"She likes that celestial furball," Charle sniffed. "I'm glad he's your cat."

"No one owns a cat," she laughed. "You know that!"

Charle smiled. "You're right."

Loke greeted Mirai with a kiss that made Charle squeak. "Hey, beautiful. Lucy suspended my contract until I get back."

"Hey, star. Remind me to thank her. We have a train ride, a ferry ride then a ride by caravan to the Temple of the Lotus. Trip should take about three days."

"Time spent marveling at how lucky I am," he whispered dramatically. Charle pretended to throw up while Wendy giggled.

"YOU!" shouted the conductor, pointing to Loke. "Get your family on board! We're pulling out now!"

"Let's go, sweetums!" he chirruped and took Mirai's arm.

"I'm suffocating you in your sleep."

Wendy giggled. "Mom, Dad, cut it out!"

Charle put her hands on her hips. "Shut up and get on the train!"

Mirai spent the night stuck between Loke and Wendy. He was against the window, Mirai against him and little Wendy curled in her lap. Charle slept in Wendy's arms. "Maybe it wouldn't be a bad idea to pretend to be married," she whispered.

"Why?" His voice rumbled in her ear.

She closed her eyes. "Where we're going… women aren't valued. At all. My father sent me to the monastery as a servant, not a novice. The monks didn't care, they train everyone. Girls are…" She felt his arms slide around her and Wendy. "I'm just glad this one grew up loved and adored. I want to keep her safe. I'm not afraid for me. I'm afraid for her.

"Around you I can be soft. I feel safe. Everywhere else, I'm hard, tough. That woman with the stick and the fan that can hurt you in a million different ways. With you I can cry, be held. I can trust." She bit back tears. "Coming back here hurts. You'll see. Promise me you'll protect Wendy."

"Of course, beautiful." He put his cheek on her head. "And I'll stand with you." He gasped. "I get to be your husband!"

"Dork!" she whispered, snuggled close. "You're going to wake up our daughter."

"I'll tone it down, my beloved wife."

"It's going to be a long trip."

II.

Wendy found Mirai beyond the caravan's fires, staring at the sky. She took the monk's hand. "Where is Mr. Loke, I mean Dad?"

Mirai pointed up. "The constellation Leo. I can hear him, even when he's up there. He needed to rest up. Needs to be at top shape for this."

"Mm." The girl looked confused. "I thought only Miss Lucy could hear him?"

"Our bond is different." Mirai's voice became soft. "It's beyond keys and rules and worlds. It was what happens when two beings from two very different places imprint on each other. We will always be a part of each other. It's love and beyond love. We're only whole together."

Wendy squeezed her hand. "Is it true that you could never have children?"

"Who said that?" Her voice was still soft, curious.

"Lucy mentioned that Celestial spirits and humans couldn't reproduce. She was sad for you and Dad. She asked for my help."

Mirai got on her knees and hugged the little wizard. "Wendy-chan, my daughter, don't worry about us. We're happy as we are…" Her grip tightened. "Find Charle. Get the people in the wagons. There's bandits in the trees."

Wendy nodded and ran.

"Daughter…" Mirai tasted the word and took off.

A single star brightened once.

They found the camp empty except for a woman sitting by the fire. She wore the grubby traveling clothes of a merchant except her feet were bare. A fan in her hand caused the flames to flicker.

The leader spit on the ground. "A woman?! I thought this caravan was protected! I heard Fairy Tail wizards were supposed to be here! I was looking forward to a challenge!"

"That's funny." The woman stood up. "So was I." She threw them all backwards with one sweep of her arm. "Go away. I'm tired."

The bandits rushed back, swords in hand. This time they surrounded the fire. She closed her eyes. "Idiots." She crouched down, tapped the ground and disappeared in a shower of rose petals.

Purple flowers fell from the sky, carries on a light breeze. The bandits looked confused. "Why are we here again?"

The leader frowned. "Let's go back. I can't remember why we came this way…"

They left the caravan, mumbling to themselves as the flowers followed them.

Wendy emerged from one of the wagons. "That was amazing!"

Mirai smiled. "It's a pretty powerful spell. Ask Loke about the time I convinced him he was a girl to test it's limits. He was calling himself Princess before it wore off."

She laughed.

"We do need to move fast. It doesn't last longer than a few hours."

"You weren't exaggerating." Loke sadly watched the town move underneath the balcony. "The clerk at the desk only spoke to me. I didn't like how he looked at you and Wendy." He looked back through the open double doors into the room. A small lump with a smaller lump on top occupied one bed.

Mirai nuzzled his cheek. "Hey, lion. Relax. Your pride is safe."

He looked at the sky, watching the stars. "I heard you and the bandits," he said softly. "I wanted to come in and save you but I knew you had it. They were nothing next to you." He shook his head. "I'm afraid for you and I don't know why."

"Loke, shhh." She nuzzled his neck. "Stop talking."

He closed his eyes when she nibbled his ear, sighing as she pressed her lips behind his ear. He gripped the railing as her hands slipped under his shirt and fingers tracing his spine. She hummed her pleasure when he gasped as her lips found his.

They stood there for what felt like a lifetime, drinking each other. His hands were tangled in her hair, hers stroking his skin.

Reluctantly, they parted with lingering touches and nuzzles.

"Star," she whispered. "Wendy's safe with us. Please don't worry about us."

He blinked back tears. "Beautiful, I-"

She wiped his face with gentle hands. "Star, I plan on taking you to the place where I became the woman I am now. There I will achieve something only few have ever managed, much less as young as I. The best part is I get to do it with you at my side." She smiled. "Come to bed. Stop worrying, husband."

He sniffled. "Nag."

"Dork."

"Beautiful."

Charle stirred. "Would you two stop?" she grumbled.

He woke up with Mirai and Wendy curled together on one side of the bed, Charle sleeping on his legs. The cat yawned. "Good morning, furball."

He smiled. "Hi. Guess we're on our own now?"

Charle nodded. "Mirai said the caravan paid for our travel expenses. It's a short walk to the temple. The town where she was born isn't far at all."

"We should be going then." Loke reached for Mirai and stopped.

Mirai and Wendy's hair was blended to the point where you couldn't tell where one's began and the other's ended. The girl clung to her and Mirai's arms held her tightly. Both looked happy.

"She could have been your child," Charle stood up. "Poor Wendy never knew her parents. You two would have been perfect for her. A star and a monk." She smiled. "More than enough adventure for my Wendy-chan."

"I wish" was all he said. He kissed Mirai's cheek and whispered good morning. She opened her eyes, smiled and the day begun.

III.

Mirai had changed into her monk's robe. Simple white pants over a yard of dark blue cloth gathered at one shoulder in a knot. For modesty's sake, she had an additional band of white covering her breasts. Her hair was loose, a symbol of her availability to suitors.

Loke protested this. "You don't have to do this!" He argued for the hundredth time on their walk through the hills. "We can just say that we're married-"

She pretended to strangle herself. "Dammit, can't you just argue my part so I don't have to?"

Wendy did a passable imitation of Mirai. "'Anyone who knew me would see through the lie.'"

"'But we're practically married if by spirit alone!'" Charle swooned dramatically, flying in a loop in front of them.

Wendy caught Charle in her arms and they two made kissy noises at each other. They broke up into giggles.

Mirai and Loke rolled their eyes and smirked. "Okay, okay." He put his hands up in defeat. "I give!"

The edge of town came into view and Mirai's face hardened. "Wendy, do NOT let go of Loke. No matter what you see. Loke, don't interfere." She looked at Charle. "Help them."

Wendy took Loke's hand and Mirai took his arm. Together they walked down the hill.

No warning prepared them for this.

Mirai walked down the street, head high. People came from the dilapidated houses and decaying shacks to stare at her. A little girl, hair bound in braids, reached out to touch her but was snatched back.

"Hello, little girl…"

The voice chilled Loke's blood and made him want to protect her.

A wall of a man reached for Mirai's face. She flinched, drew away. "You grew up to be pretty," he growled. "Your father refused to sell you to me. Maybe if I mess up your face no one else will want you…" He chuckled and reached for her.

She grabbed his shirt and punched him in the face hard enough to knock him backwards. Once he landed, she put her foot on his throat. "Let me introduce my companions. This is Loke of Fairy Tail, also known as Leo the Lion of the Zodiac spirits. The little one is Wendy, a sky dragon slayer. Know why they haven't ripped you to shreds? I told them to let me handle the filth in this sewer that would come after me for being a woman." She twisted her foot, making him choke. "So touch me and I will let Loke have you. He's got a strong opinion on men who mistreat women." One final kick to his face gave her a satisfying crunch and he went limp.

She dusted off her hands. "Anyone else wish to challenge me?" she shouted. "I've returned, the one all of you said would be nothing because no man would want me! I would be no one because I had no man to define my place in the world!

"Yet here I stand, hair unbound, heart free and defined only by myself! I am Mirai of Fairy Tail! Historian, friend, lover, comrade, teacher! I am Mirai, friend to the Seelie Court! I am Mirai, caretaker of the heart of a star!

"Women, girls, you do not have to listen to them! You have power! Use it! No has power! You have choices!

"I've made mine." She looked around. No one moved. "Cowards."

Mirai turned and continued to walk toward the temple.

"Caretaker of the heart of a star?" whispered Loke.

"I was improvising," she muttered.

Wendy giggled, an odd sound in such a dismal place.

"You grew up here?" Loke didn't bother to hide his distaste.

"Yeah." She pointed ahead to a row of better made buildings. "That's the bars and shops."

Charle looked around, shivering. "I couldn't live here. How did you make it?"

"The monks saved my life." She pointed up. "You'll see how soon."

A mountain rose above them, flat on top. A stone building, wide at the bottom and narrowing to the top, hid among the clouds. The sun hit it and the stone gave off a pearlescent glow. "That's beautiful," Wendy breathed.

"Wait until you see the inside."

At the entrance to the temple grounds was an archway with a bell. Beyond the bell, lotus flowers drifted in a deep blue pond. A floating walkway led to the island in the center where they could see the base of the temple.

Mirai touched the bell. A single chime echoed through the air, one clear note. The lotus shivered. "Welcome," said the wind. "Please go to the audience hall…"

"That was creepy," Charle muttered. Wendy cuddled her closer.

Loke, as Leo, seemed to relax. "This is beautiful." He let Mirai take his hand and lead him down the walkway.

"This seemed longer when I was a kid," she laughed. "We used to race to see who could touch the bell first when we were initiates. I cheated, used to swim to the archway." She pointed to a beach near the end of the walkway. "I used to swim there."

A smooth path of rocks led them to the temple doors. Grand wooden doors had been left open, allowing breezes to blow in. Four wide steps brought them into the cool darkness of the audience hall.

It was plain. High stone ceiling with a huge silver bell and a set of cushions on a dias. An elderly monk greeted them with a smile. "Mirai! Child!" He hugged Mirai then bowed to Loke, Wendy and Charle. "Welcome to the Temple of the Lotus, honored guests. We are pleased to have our Mirai's friends with us to celebrate this occasion!" He hugged Mirai again. "So much to catch up on! So much has happened!"

She laughed, hugging the monk. "This is Master Tuck, the temple taskmaster. He makes sure everything runs smoothly. I was his assistant before Makarov recruited me."

"And I will never forgive that man!" Tuck laughed. "Come, come! Let me show you your rooms!" He put his arm around Mirai's shoulder and winked. "So you and the pretty one share a room, right?"

"If I'm lucky!" coughed Loke.

"How did the lotus get up here?" Wendy asked.

"Well," Tuck let go of Mirai and started telling the little wizard the temple history as they walked.

"Do you feel better?" Mirai asked, her hand slipping into Loke's.

"No…" he tried to smile. "But the unease is coming from kind of magic. I smell it."

"I think it's the lotus," she teased.

There was no response. He took her hands in his and kissed them.

That night, Wendy slept in her adjoining room, leaving her 'parents' alone. Mirai sat by the sliding door, watching the lotus flowers glow. "I remembered how beautiful this place was but my memory doesn't do it justice."

"It's exactly the kind of place I would have expected to find you in." Loke sat next to her. He nuzzled her bare shoulder and kissed her neck. "Are you ready?"

"I'd better be." She placed her forehead against his. "Are you?"

Without warning, he flipped her on her back. She cursed then tossed him off, diving back down to pin him. There was a yelp of surprise and a giggle as he hit the wall. "No fair!" He protested. He growled then tackled her once more.

Through the wall, Wendy and Charle heard the laughter and giggles. "They sound so happy together," Wendy sighed.

Charle folded her arms. "I wish they could be happy a little quieter."

IV.

Mirai watched Wendy and the orphans play together on the beach. Charle wheeled overhead, trying not to look as though she enjoyed the squeals of delight from the children as she dove through them.

Loke settled in the sand next to her, adjusting his tie. "Tuck says there will be a welcome ceremony tonight. You make your formal request to be considered for mastery."

She nodded. "Then the test begins."

"Should you prepare?"

"If I'm not ready, star, I never will be." She nudged him with her elbow. "I have a surprise for you tonight."

"Does it require clothes?"

She pushed him away playfully.

He laid in the sand. "Beautiful, please keep me close. Please. I know this means everything to you but if I lost you I would lose everything."

She laid down next to him and smiled. "If you don't stop I'm going to bite you."

He arched an eyebrow. "I would feel incomplete, missing a huge chunk- OUCH!"

She bit his ear, making him howl in pain.

Wendy and the kids started covering them with sand. They fought back until all of them were laughing.

The dining hall tables had been pushed back for the feast, lining the walls. There was a head table composed of the order's headmasters and the older monks. The orphans sat at one table with the monks who cared for them and the initiates sat on the other side with their masters. As honored guests, Mirai's company had been given seats at the head table but as custom decreed had given them up for older monks. They chose to sit with the orphans.

Wendy sat with her new friends and spent more time talking and laughing than eating. Charle ate delicately from a plate of morsels she had selected herself, enjoying watching the girl be a child. "She hardly ever gets to do this," the cat told Loke and Mirai. "I'm glad we came."

"I come here to meditate once a year. I'll bring you two with me." Mirai offered Loke a plate of fruit. He opened his mouth.

"Wendy would like that." Charle giggled as Mirai shoved an apple in his face and blew him a kiss.

Master Tuck stood up, hands raised for silence. "Tonight we celebrate the return of Mirai, selected to test for her mastery!"

Mirai rose, bowed as the room erupted in cheers. When they died down, she returned the bow. "It has been too long. As Master Tuck taught me, guests do not come empty handed. I have a gift. A story."

She walked to the center of the room, fan in hand. "I spent much of my time reading the histories of the temple and the surrounding lands. When I went to Fairy Tail, I read the stories from other lands.

"This one comes from a place where animals and people lived in harmony, even spoke to each other."

She opened the fan and held it out in front of her. "Once upon a time, in a village where the sun meets the land there was a beautiful woman who lived alone. Every day she would go to the river to get water."

A fine silver mist drifted from the fan and became a silver river running in the air in front of her. A silhouette of a woman stepped from the mist and knelt by the river.

She lowered the fan to her side. "Every day there was a lion drinking from the river." A lion jumped from the mist and drank from the river. "They would talk of this and that then part ways. Days of this happened until one day the woman realized she had fallen in love with the lion."

The lion jumped back into the mist. The woman stood, face in her hands. "She could not be with him for he was not human and she could never be with him for she was not an animal. This broke her heart into pieces. She went to the river and cried to the river spirits to take her life."

The woman knelt by the river, doubled over and shaking.

"Her cries were heard by the river." The river shifted, a wave faced the woman. "It heard her tale and moved by her love offered to change her into a lioness.

"The woman's heart leapt with joy. She could be with her love at last." The woman jumped to her feet. The wave washed over her, retreated and left behind a silver lioness. The lioness jumped over the river and then into the mist.

"The lion had also realized her loved the woman and knew they could never be together. He went to the river and cried, his great heart breaking into pieces." The lion jumped from the mist, head low.

"The river heard his cries and listened to his story." The wave surfaced and faced the lion. "It was also moved by his tale and offered to change him into a human to be with his beloved." The wave washed over the lion and retreated, leaving behind a man. "He could hardly wait to finally hold her in his arms." The man ran into the mist.

"The lioness searched for a lion, the man a woman and they found neither." The man and the lioness stepped from the mist. They sat by the river, the man with his head in his hands and the lioness' head hanging low. "The river showed them that they were looking for each other." The man and the lioness look at each other and embrace. "But they could still never be together." They part and stand face to face. "The river offered to change one back. But who? Better to be an animal or a human? Neither could answer.

"The sky king answered for them." The river disappeared. The lioness and man faced each other and turned into constellations. "They would live in the sky together as stars, guard the night with their fierceness. And if the humans needed them, they would answer their call in the bodies of humans." The constellations shifted and the stars became a man and a woman.

"And this was the beginning of Celestial magic."

She snapped the fan closed, the silver mist disappearing in sparks. Everyone stood, clapping. Loke clapped, huge smile on his face.

She made her way to him, pausing to collect thank yous and hugs. He buried his face in her shoulder and wrapping his arms around her so tight she thought her ribs would snap. "Where did you find that?" he whispered. "That's… exactly what I'd want for us. You and me in the sky. Forever."

He froze. "Where's Wendy and Charle?"

She glanced over her shoulder. "Behind me, a few chairs away." She felt him shift into defensive mode. "Sweetheart, what is it?"

"That smell… It's here." He wiped his eyes on her shoulder. "Thank you for your gift, beautiful." He let her go but kept a grip on her hand.

They turned as Master Tuck, sitting near them at the head table greeted a latecomer. "Master Ishi! You missed the evening's entertainment!"

Master Ishi appeared to be the same age as Mirai, same dark hair and eyes. His long hair was done in an elaborate braid and his robes were like the others except he wore three leather bands on one wrist. He inclined his head. "My apologies, master. I was detained. But I see our guests have arrived safely." His eyes raked over Mirai. "You have only grown into more of a beauty. You are indeed a wonderful sight." He gaze turned hostile. "You must be Leo the Lion. Your services are no longer needed. Your charge is safe." Loke hissed softly.

Ishi turned to smile at Wendy, who stood defiantly next to Loke. "Who is this little girl? And she has a pet, how darling!" Charle made a fist, Wendy gritting her teeth together.

"You dishonor yourself, Master Ishi." One of the grandmasters overheard him. "These are Mirai's honored guests. That little girl is a dragon slayer." He chuckled. "As much as I would enjoy watching her throw you down the mountain, this is not the time." He nodded at Mirai. "It is, however, time for your announcement."

"Yes, grandmaster." Quickly, she faced Loke and gave him a deep, swift kiss. "Relax, playboy. I need you."

He winked but his hands shook. He shoved them in his pockets, projected suave charm. "Let's go, beautiful."

Mirai offered Wendy a hand, which the girl took with a smile. They entered the floor, standing before the head table. She cleared her throat. "I, Mirai of Fairy Tail, novice of the Temple of the Lotus request permission to take the trial of mastery."

"Where is your heart?" One grandmaster asked.

"Here." She touched Loke's arm.

"Where is your spirit?" Another asked.

"Here." She touched Wendy's shoulder.

"If you fall, who will carry you home?"

"I will," Loke responded.

"If you fall, who will tell the story?"

"I will." Charle lifted her chin with pride.

"Then it is settled." The grandmaster in the center pounded his fist on the table. "Tomorrow at dawn is the trial of the body." He smiled. "I have been waiting to see this since you first put on the novice robes, my dear. Get some rest."

"I don't like Master Ishi," Wendy confessed, arms around Mirai's neck. The dragon slayer had crawled into bed with them like any other child with their parents. There had been a quick scramble for clothes but neither minded.

Mirai hugged her. "He's an awful person. His family is wealthy and he has always has everything he wanted." She paused. "Except me."

Loke reached for her over Wendy, rubbing her arm.

"From the time he was a novice, he announced we were getting married." Mirai shook her head. "I was given a choice in these walls. I said no."

"Then you walk in with me." Loke winked. "I'd be jealous of me."

"It wasn't you. It was Wendy."

"Me?" She hid her face.

"Wendy-chan, you could be my daughter," Mirai whispered. "I walk into the temple with a handsome man and a beautiful little girl on one of the most important times of my life. What would you think?"

She nodded, eyes heavy.

Loke pulled the sheets over them. "If you're here, you might as well stay."

The little girl was sound asleep before he was finished.

V.

"The perfect family."

Loke didn't open his eyes. "You surprise no one. I know you're here and so do the others. Get out."

Ishi smirked, leaning on the wall. "I was just giving you a compliment, Leo the Lion. Not many can claim such beauty and talent in their lives."

"I claim nothing." He yawned widely. "But you do need to go unless you plan on helping me in the shower. I do need someone to wash my back and Mirai needs her rest."

Seething, Ishi disappeared.

They laughed until it hurt.

The monks had gathered in a clearing much like the one Mirai used in Fairy Tail for training. A platform had been set up for the grandmasters and combat masters were seated at all angles. Everyone in the temple had gathered, orphans and novices alike.

Master Tuck met them as they entered. He gave Mirai a bear hug and kiss. "So proud of you! Take your place!"

She knelt down, hugged Wendy and Charle then stood up to kiss Loke. Empty handed, she entered the ring.

"As you know, candidates face three challenges: mind, body and spirit." One of the grandmasters stood, addressing the crowd. "Today is the body. It has three parts: knowledge of the petals, weapon demonstration and combat with an opponent." He sat down. "Begin."

Mirai bowed and lifted her arms. She moved both fast and smooth, slow and sharp. Her bare feet made no sound as she slid them across the ground. She moved in circles, each wider than the one before then ending in the exact spot she started. She took a deep breath and bowed.

The stands erupted in applause.

"Well done." The grandmaster nodded. "Weapons."

Ishi entered the ring, carrying two swords. His face devoid of emotion but his eyes were burning with anger. "Bring your best."

Mirai accepted her fan from Wendy. "I already have."

They took positions in the center.

"Mirai, a fan does not count as a weapon," one of the grandmasters protested.

She bowed. "This is the Fan of the Seelie Court. It protects and inflicts damage, properties of a weapon."

There was a quick discussion among the grandmasters. One spoke up. "It will be allowed."

"I will shred that thing," Ishi growled.

"Try," she dared him.

The bell rang.

Ishi attacked first, an overhead feint while slicing across her torso. Mirai countered by kicking his feet out from under him. He gathered himself and shook off the dirt.

They circled each other. Mirai jumped at him, elbowing him in the face and slicing him in the shoulder with the fan. Blood dripped onto the ground.

He stumbled backwards, recovered enough to bring his swords around to meet at her head. She went down on one knee, fan closed and above her head. The swords stopped a breath from her hair.

One kick to the stomach sent him sliding back. She snapped the fan open and swept it across her body. She grinned.

He charged, leaped and aimed one last slice at her face.

She met him with one side kick to the chest and a slice in his arm.

Ishi fell to the ground, clutching his arm and dropped his swords. The bell chimed.

Mirai closed her fan and bowed to the grandmasters. The cheers were deafening.

The oldest grandmaster held up his hands for silence. "Now for the last part: combat. As you can see, Mirai has surpassed our own combat masters in skill so this test would have proven difficult if not for the luck of having a worthy opponent with us today.

"Loke of Fairy Tail, will you stand as challenger?"

Loke blinked a few times. "Yes, I accept," he said formally.

Ishi seethed, picking himself up off the ground as Loke entered the ring. He winked at the fallen master. "It'll be a good match. You should watch."

Mirai and Loke circled each other, both grinning. "I'm going to wear that tie as a headband," she promised.

"I'm going to remind you who's the leader of the Zodiac in this relationship," he growled playfully. The bell chimed.

She made the first move, left hook kick to his knee. He jumped and she snapped a kick against his jaw that sent him sprawling. He wiped blood off his chin and winked. "Nice one."

Almost too fast to track, he slid in front of her and landed a punch in her ribs. She coughed but blocked the fist coming for her face. He blew a kiss, grabbed her wrist and threw her aside.

She landed in a roll, launching herself at him with arms at her sides. He recognized the move. "Crap!" he muttered and tried to duck.

She flipped, wrapping her legs around his neck. By throwing herself backwards, she took him down with her.

Once on the ground, she left a knee at his throat and grabbed his arm. She twisted it until he shouted in pain. "Yield!" she shouted.

He growled in response, throwing her to the ground and leaping to pin her.

It was over in moments. As he landed, she grabbed his wrists and planted her foot on his chest. She used his momentum to flip him on his back, took advantage of the surprise and punched him hard enough to knock his glasses in the dirt. The bell chimed.

"Match to Mirai." The grandmaster announced.

There were cheers but they never heard them. Mirai winced at the huge welt forming on his cheekbone and retrieved his glasses. "I'm sorry, star."

He kissed her, his smile brighter than the sun itself. "That was fun! You're amazing!"

She shook her head and helped him up.

V.

"The mind portion is tonight." Mirai soaked her tired muscles in bathhouse. "I probably should take a nap."

"There are spells that can help you sleep," Wendy offered. She dangled her feet in the water. She smiled proudly. "You're really good! Thanks for bringing me!"

Mirai leaned her head back against the ceramic edge of the pool. "Oh, it's not over." She frowned. "Mind doesn't worry me, that was my strong subject. Spirit does."

"What do you need to do for mind?" Wendy splashed with her toes.

Eyes closed, Mirai shrugged. "Give a lecture on a subject, teach a class, answer questions, debate a grandmaster… I can handle that. They may ask me about my research project or some paper I've published.

"Spirit…" She whispered. "That's magic. I don't do magic." She sat up, eyes wide. "Where's Charle?"

Wendy thought for a moment. "She said she was going to nap, said something she ate didn't agree with her."

Mirai scrambled out of the bath. "I can't feel Loke!" She threw on her clothes, ignoring the towel. "I can feel him even when he's gone back but there's no trace of him!"

The girl was already tugging on her tights and sneakers. "Do you think it's connected?"

She wiped away tears. "This is cruel. I'm going to find out who did this and-"

A single gold key appeared in front of her. It didn't require an explanation, she had seen Lucy hold it enough times to know exactly what it was before it even touched her palm.

Her fingers closed around Leo's key. A bell chimed.

When they stepped outside the bathhouse, Mirai and Wendy were in the ruins of a white marble tower. The staircase was rubble but the landings were intact. Large windows allowed moonlight inside, enough to give the interior an otherworldly glow. There didn't seem to be a ceiling.

"Loke, where are?" she whispered.

As if in answer, a pair of blue lensed glasses fell from above to land at her feet. She felt a pang in her chest as she picked them up and tucked them in her robe. "I'll find you, star." She tried to smile at Wendy. The girl's face was lined with worry and fear. "Welcome to the mind portion of the test. I'm glad you're here. I'd be scared out of my mind!"

Wendy relaxed a bit at the joke and clung to Mirai's hand. "Really?" her voice shook. "I'm glad I'm here. Do you think Charle's with Mr. Loke?"

She nodded. "That's my guess, darling. Every tower has a princess, right? Let's go save Princess Leo."

Wendy giggled.

After climbing up to a few landings, they stopped to rest and get their bearings. Wendy looked around. "It's the same up and down. Stairs destroyed but the landings are clear. No doors." Her shoulders drooped. "No way but up."

Mirai patted the floor. Wendy knelt next to her, the key in front of them. "I wish I knew how to use the key."

"I don't think you could." Wendy shook her head. "The bond you have with him… it's not like that with Miss Lucy. You're not an owner, you're his companion."

Mirai paused, holding the key in her palms. "Leo," she whispered. "Where are you?"

The key began to glow, lift itself up then float toward the darkness above them. She grinned, hugging Wendy tightly. "Follow that key!"

They found the door. Plain stone, no markings. Mirai opened it first and led Wendy into a hallway. At the end was a red-orange flicker, the smell of brimstone. Wendy grabbed Mirai's arm. "Dragon."

"Let me go alone." Mirai got on her knees and hugged the girl. "If something happens to me, please go back to the bathhouse and try to find a way out."

Wendy clung to her. "Please don't go!"

"If something happened to you-"

The words were ripped from the girl. "I'd rather die with you than live without you!"

Mirai wiped away tears. "Okay. You're the bravest dragon slayer in fairy Tail. Let's go rescue the princess in the tower."

The room was circular, lit only by the breath of a fire dragon curled in the center. It's tail was wrapped around the unconscious forms of Loke and Charle. It sneered as they entered, fire dripping from it's jaws. "There she is… the monk pretending to be a master and the child who claims to be a dragon slayer. Do you think either of you can save these two?" It closed it's eyes as it savoring the air. "They will taste delicious. The spirit will form again but the crunch of his bones between my teeth will be delightful."

It's claws scraped the ground, eyes open and focused on Mirai. "Monk, tell me. What is the measure of one's training?"

She grinned. "That's easy, you scaled fool. It's not the amassing of personal power or political gain. Even social justice or reform doesn't quite measure up…"

"Measure up to what?" An eye the size of a full grown man fixed on her.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw that Wendy had already moved Charle to safety and was in the process of moving Loke. "No point stalling anymore." Mirai dove for Wendy, the girl's hands still on the spirit, and slid her out of the dragon's reach.

The dragon roared, a claw coming up and pining Mirai to the floor. It snarled inches from her face, molten rock hissing as it hit near her head. "Don't you want the answer?" she shouted, laughing.

"WHAT IS IT?" it bellowed.

"The measure of one's training is the ability to take a punch," she answered. "Hit me, you overbearing lizard!"

There was a searing, burning pain and screams. Then nothing.

Mirai woke up cradled in Loke's arms, Wendy asleep beside him. They were in the Temple of Dreams, in the Hall of Shrines above the main floor. Around them gauze curtains moved slightly as if from a breeze. Soft lamps and incense on the altar had been pushed aside by Charle, who had taken a cushion from the floor and slept up high.

"Welcome back, beautiful." He brushed hair from her face. "You passed the second part."

She closed her eyes. "I'm so tired."

"Master Tuck said you would be exhausted." Loke carefully laid her on the cushions then settled down beside her. "We have permission to sleep here tonight. There's a concern but that's all they'll say."

Her eyes flew open. "A concern?"

"It seems Ishi is administering the spirit part. He's the highest ranking mystic alive right now. His master passed away recently." He snuggled against her back. "Get some rest. We're safe."

Eventually conversation ended and they drifted off to sleep, Loke's arms around Mirai and her arms around Wendy. Charle woke up, saw them and smiled. Shaking her head, she curled up next to Wendy and went back to sleep.

VI.

The Trial of the Spirit took place in the Hall of Shrines. No one other than the grandmasters, Master Tuck, the candidate and her guests were allowed. Ishi had it set in at the Pool of Remembrance.

A pool of water so pure that it looked empty dominated the room. Cushions had been arranged for the spectators. Candles flickered along the walls.

Everyone had was waiting when Mirai arrived. Ishi smirked. He wore the formal robes of the master mystic proudly, chin raised and shoulders squared. "Welcome to the Trial of the Spirit. This one is unique to each candidate." He made a grand sweeping gesture. "Please, be seated."

Wendy cautiously chose a seat next to Tuck, Charle in her lap. Loke started to join her but Ishi stopped him. "Oh no, not you. You have a very important part to play."

Mirai bowed her head. "What is my task, master?"

Ishi sat back. "Here we have always studied magic in addition to martial arts. You have long since neglected your own study of mystics because of your own fear. I feel that you must overcome your fear before you move on in your studies.

"You are to read this spirit's future."

One of the grandmasters sputtered. "Master Ishi! He is an immortal! His future is infinite! Her mind will be gone!"

"If she is a true master, she will be able to navigate this challenge easily," he responded.

"Only high level mystics can achieve such a feat!" Tuck countered.

"As the highest ranking mystic it is my duty to provide the challenge." Ishi glared at those assembled. "And I have." He tapped the bell beside him. "Begin."

Mirai, tears in her eyes, turned to Loke and held out her hand. "Do you trust me?"

"Always." He took her hand.

They stepped into the pool and the world spun.

Loke was standing in a pool, ankle deep. Mirai faced him, monk's robes gone and replaced by a simple black dress. Around the silent waterfalls tumbled down, feeding the still pool. "Where are we?"

"This is sacred space. Here I can show you your future." She knelt and threw handfuls of water in the air. Bubbles formed, scenes flickering inside. "I can show you the past, that was and never was. The one where we never met, the one where Karen never became a wizard, one where magic was never discovered in Fiore."

The bubbles changed. "The future is different." She took his hand. "Yours is murky because it's intertwined with mine. I can't read myself. But I can show you what I do see…"

 _And he was in Fairy Tail's hall. It was different, years had passed but he could still see himself there. He was surrounded by women but he looked sad behind the smile._

 _He held Mirai's lifeless body, screaming._

 _A teenage Wendy fought by his side, facing incredible odds with her usual bravery. She wore a leather band around her wrist, one like the masters wore._

 _He was alone, staring at the sky._

 _Mirai laughing in his arms, silver streaks in her hair._

 _Dad, said a voice._

"The problem comes in that the reading ends with you death." She waved her hand, the bubbles fell back into the water. "Stars are eternal. Your future is endless."

"Sort of." He kissed her hand. "I will fade, love. Despite my charm. Let's go."

"She can't." Ishi appeared in the rain, smug grin on his face. "You can leave but when you do, her mind will be gone. She'll be lost in visions of your future." He glared at Loke. "Ever since we were children I knew she would be my wife one day. When it was time for her return I knew she would come back and fall at my feet. But she returns with a lover and shows no interest in my prowess at all." He shook water from his face. "I do not understand her at all."

"Yeah," Loke snickered. "Good looking Celestial spirit or self important monk?" He pretended to think. "I'd pick me any day."

Mirai frowned. "Um, and you seem to forget the part where I get to pick. And why would I give up a chance to test for mastery so I could marry? I'm a warrior, a teacher, a historian. Why give that up for you?"

"YOU ARE MINE!" Ishi shouted. "You have always been mine! My father said I could have whatever I wanted and I want you! Your beauty and my power would create children that would be able to take over my father's estate from my brother! I bought you from your father and told him to bring you here! I own you! You are mine!"

"Wrong," she said gently. "I am mine. You have much to answer for." She grabbed him by the robe and shoved him into the pool."

The connection broke.

Loke fell to his knees beside the Reflecting Pool. Mirai brushed his shoulder with her fingers. "Thank you, star." He felt power vibrate through his body.

She stepped into the Pool. "Loke of Fairy Tail, this is your future as I see it. Do with it as you will." She touched the water.

Flashes of familiar and unfamiliar faces swirled around her. "I see equal parts laughter and sadness. You will suffer the greatest loss of your existence only to have it healed by an act of friendship." She closed her eyes. "Star, I will always be with you. Remember that." She touched the water again and it went dark.

"Well done, Mirai-" Ishi began.

"I'm not done, master."

She touched the water once more. This time large globes of water lifted from the surface. Images appeared on the surface. Ishi taunting Loke in their room, Ishi invading Mirai's reading and slow motion of their battle. One sphere became bigger than the rest. Ishi's voice told Mirai he owned her.

"Master Ishi has poisoned me." She let go all of the bubbles except for the battle and froze it. "While he was in my mind, I read his. I couldn't help it. I saw he had enchanted his swords to poison anything they touched. If I gave myself to him, he was going to heal me. Truth is, the antidote he was given does not work.

"I'm going to die. I'm not sure when."

The bubble popped and she faced Ishi, tears streaming down her face. "I will not honor you with a bow."

The bell chimed.

Makarov sat behind his desk, words failing him. He shook his head. "How long?"

The lanky Celestial spirit that normally sprawled out on the couch had his elbows on his knees and his head in his hands. "No idea, master. Freid has started looking into it. She's gone to bed. The celebration is still going on right now." He lifted his head and chuckled. "I doubt anyone noticed."

Makarov harrumphed. "I'm sure you're right. What are you going to do?"

"Love her while she's here." He stood, straightening his cuffs. "Which reminds me, does anyone have guardianship of Wendy?"

Part Four: Forever

"They can't stop it. There's no cure for the poison."

Makarov, the diminutive balding master of Fairy Tail, shook his head. His eyes were full of sorrow. "Mirai was like my own daughter. I had no idea she was so sick. She was in the library, unconscious."

"I didn't either." Loke wiped his eyes. Wendy stood next to him, holding his hand. He laughed, a broken sound. "She hid it so well. We had no idea it had taken hold so quickly."

He fell to his knees sobbing.

He found them in the library.

Lucy, hair in a business like ponytail, wore plain capri pants and a tshirt as she searched the stacks. Freed, only recognizable by the green hair and not by the colorless sweatsuit and bare feet, poured over an overflowing stack of papers on a table. Levy was the only one who took the time to get dressed, her usual sundress and headband holding blue hair out of her face as she climbed a ladder to reach something on the top of the ladder.

Even little Wendy did what she could, dark hair like Mirai's woven in a braid that flew out like a banner as she ran paper to Freed and books back to shelves. Happy and Charle did their part, the cats blue and white blurs as they flew through the library on their wings.

"What are you doing?" Loke asked weakly. He appeared as a human, grateful the glasses hid his eyes.

"There has to be a way!" Lucy declared. "Some cure, some spell-"

"There's no cure for death." Loke smiled at them. "Thank you all. I know Mirai would thank you as well."

"Are you going to see her?" asked Wendy.

He nodded.

"Bring her this for me?" She pulled a book from a pile on a table. "I know she likes to read everyone's favorite book. This one's mine. Please tell her I love her."

Loke knelt down and accepted the book, holding back tears. He hugged the little dragon slayer, ignoring her snot on his shoulder. "Thank you, Wendy-chan." He stood up. "All of you, I appreciate your work. But everything dies. I'll give Mirai your love."

Before any of them could say another word, he left.

Mirai was asleep when Loke entered the stale, lifeless hospital room. He took off his boots and coat as quietly as he could, tossed them in a chair and crawled into the bed beside her. He pulled her close and buried his face in her hair.

She woke up, arms wrapping around him. "Hi, star."

"Hi, beautiful."

"They say I'm dying." She lifted her head, eyes finding his. Her smile was sad. "Such a shame. I always wondered what our children would look like."

He chuckled, heart breaking. "Silly, we could never have children. But we do have a Wendy."

"For the best," she gave a mock sigh, "because your ugly face would surely make for homely babies."

He nuzzled her cheek. "I love you so much."

"I love you too, star," she whispered.

They curled together and cried.

In the celestial realm, Leo raged. He howled at the sky, snarled and cried himself dry.

The spirit king summoned him to the palace. Leo gathered himself and appeared his usual charming self.

The king was not fooled. _Leo, I know you have an attachment to a human woman. She is dying. We cannot interfere._

 _It's more than an attachment, your majesty._ Leo seethed. _I love her. She's my mate, my heart._ His anger faded. _She's dying and I can't stop it or fix it._ He looked at the king. _I would give up my place in the sky to stand with her as an equal. I would rather die on earth than live forever here._

 _What about your owner?_ The king leaned forward.

 _She owns my key, not my heart._ Leo wiped his eyes. _That was what Mirai taught me. Please, let her be a star in my sky. Let us be together._

The king tapped his chin. _I will consider this. Has Leo settled for one woman?_

 _I wouldn't go that far…_ Leo winked.

They laughed.

"Will you stop mothering me? Doesn't Lucy have some job for you to do?!" Mirai glared as Loke brought her a cup of tea when she came home from work. "It's bad enough the old man cut my shifts. Now I have you waiting on me hand and foot! You do know Wendy and Charle spend the night here, right?"

He smiled and sat across the table from her. "I can't help it. I want to spend as much time with you as I can." He reached into her hair, teasing out a small braid tied with blue cord. "What's this?"

"At home, it would mean I'm spoken for. That my heart belongs to someone." She blushed. "I figured I might as well wear one."

A goofy grin spread across his face. "Wait… does this make us married?"

"Shut up," she growled.

"I have a wife!" he practically melted then sat up. "Wait, that makes me husband." He did his best to look stern. "You need some rest, honey buns!"

She tried to stay annoyed and gave up. "By everything cute and cuddly, who made you charming?"

He raised his eyebrows over his glasses. "Am I?"

"If I say yes will you wash my hair?" She grinned.

The night seemed to never end.

Mirai ran her fingers down his spine, resting her hand on his hip. Loke cupped her face with one hand and drew her close for a kiss. Soft curls covered their faces, hiding tears. Gently he traced her body, savoring his favorite spots and slowing down when she moaned against his lips.

Her legs around his waist, his hands in her hair and their eyes locked. She touched his face. "My love, my darling…" she whispered.

"My heart…" He whispered back.

There was no one else in the world.

Loke woke up to Lucy's call. He kissed Mirai's bare shoulder and nuzzled her ear. "I don't want to leave you," he whispered.

She took his hand and kissed his palm. "Go, be the knight in shining armor then come back and be my dork in blue glasses." She rolled over, smiling. "I love you, star."

He kissed her hand. "I love you too. Be back as soon as I can."

It wasn't soon enough.

Mirai seemed to be asleep, the book Wendy sent her open in her lap as she lay on the sofa. An empty glass sat on the end table at arm's reach and a plate with an untouched sandwich kept it company.

Loke didn't have to touch her to know the life was gone. He moved the book and an envelope fell out, his name on it in her perfect script. Trying to swallow past the lump, he put the book on the coffee table and knelt beside her.

Never before had an envelope seemed so hard to open.

 _Hey dork,_

 _If you're reading this, than my soul has already moved on. I was hoping to say these things to you with my own voice and my own heart. Sometimes things don't work the way we plan._

 _Look at me. I never really wanted a family, much less fall in love with a star. Then I start doing crazy things like wondering what our kids would look like. I've even looked at little Wendy and thought our daughter would probably be that combination of sweet and goofy. At the temple, the three of us felt like a family. I wanted us to be like that forever._

 _Things rarely go how we want them to._

 _Never forget, star, that you are an amazing creature. You are more than a celestial spirit because you've lived as a human. You're more than a human because you are a celestial spirit. You're centuries old with lifetimes ahead of you. There will be more Mirais in your life. You're way too fascinating for there not to be._

 _I would enjoy nothing more than spending an eternity watching the sky with you, watching Wendy grow into the fascinating woman she will become and start her own family. Sometimes we don't get what we want. That's okay because I had some of the most glorious times of my life in the company of one of the kindest, gentlest and most intelligent beings I've had the absolute pleasure of knowing, much less having the chance to love them._

 _Leo the Lion. Live for me because I am in your heart. Always. And you are in mine._

 _I love you so much, star_

He couldn't stop crying.

Time passed and humans move on.

Loke stood in the guild's courtyard, hands in the pocket of his impeccable suit and waited for the rest of the group. Wendy passed by, Charle flying behind her. She stopped to give him a tight hug and he felt a familiar ache in his heart. He could never look at her without seeing Mirai.

A shadow flew over the courtyard and a giant black bird with a long tail landed with unnerving quiet. The great bird shook its head and feathers melted away. A woman stood where the bird had landed, wearing a black dress. Familiar black curls framed a face he never thought he'd ever see except in his dreams. "Mirai?"

"Apus, you dork." She ran to him and nearly crushed him in a hug. "Loke, is that you? Is this real?"

He matched her grip. "Only if this is really you, goofy. I've missed you. How did this happen?"

"I don't know…" She loosened her grip to look up. "I woke up in this place and was taught to fly. The Aviary, they call it. Or something."

He wiped his eyes. "I get to annoy you for eternity."

"Damn straight."

"MIRAI!"

Wendy rushed over and hugged them both around the waist, tears in her eyes. "I never thought I'd see you again!"

Mirai knelt down and picked up the girl. "Same here." Loke held them both, all three sharing tears, laughter. Charle flew up and was welcomed in the pile.

Mirajane and Lucy watched them from a window. "Are you going to tell Loke about petitioning the spirit king, Lucy?"

"Nope." She grinned. "I figured he saved me so many times I could save him this one time. Sometimes a happy ending takes work." Her grin faded and she became thoughtful."This would make a great story…"


End file.
